The Expert Podcast

Even now, several years after the beginning of the pandemic, there are still new developments in technology that are helping consumers and the public deal with health issues. This is an example from the state of Oregon, where the health authority is offering free Telehealth appointments to see if you can get medication for COVID-19. This is a good thing because, many times, it's not actually necessary to go in person to check into eligibility for medication. By having a Telehealth appointment, you're going to save time.

The potential patient doesn't have to travel and wait in the waiting area, going through all that process. It also saves time for the provider because, if you're a medical provider and you're not using Telehealth, you actually have to make appointment times in your facility. Somebody has to walk in the door, and your gap in between one patient and another needs to leave more room. This is because somebody might show up late, or you might take longer with a patient. With Telehealth or telemedicine, you can actually stack appointments closer together and also probably have less time for each appointment, making it more convenient for the patient. You also don't need as much physical space or facilities to handle those appointments.

Here are the details: this is in Oregon, and other states have similar programs. It's the Oregon Health Authority, and through this program, any person in Oregon, regardless of health insurance status, can make a no-cost Telehealth appointment with a clinician. The clinician will determine whether the individual is eligible to receive antiviral medication. It's the fifth state to join the program, and other states are likely to join very soon. They've conducted 33,000 consultations in this program. Think about that—when you're doing consultations at that level, how much more resources and time would it have taken to do all that in person? By using Telehealth or telemedicine, it can make the process easier and more accessible to more people.

Telehealth makes healthcare more available to people who may not have transportation or time. Even if you do have transportation and time, it's much more convenient. You can live your life better, and if you do have something that's transmissible, you're not going to expose others to it because you can stay in your own home.

So, tell us your thoughts on this type of remote access to resources and expertise when you have a health inquiry.